Sumertime and the living was easy

 As summer draws to a close, I think about the songs of the summer. Not the songs of today but the songs from my youth. I know these memories often evoke thoughts of carefree days spent by the beach, at the lake, or at summer barbecues. Here’s a list (In no particular order) of  classic summer songs from my youth that for me capture the spirit of those days:

1. "Summertime Blues" - Eddie Cochran (1958)
2. "Here Comes Summer" - Jerry Keller (1959)
3. "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" - Brian Hyland (1960)
4. "Let's Twist Again" - Chubby Checker (1961)
5. "Surfin' Safari" - The Beach Boys (1962)
6. "Misirlou" - Dick Dale & the Del-Tones (1962)
7. "Surfin' USA" - The Beach Boys (1963)
8. "Wipe Out" - The Surfaris (1963)
9. "Dancing in the Street" - Martha and the Vandellas (1964)
10. "Under the Boardwalk" - The Drifters (1964)
11. "California Girls" - The Beach Boys (1965)
12. "Summer in the City" - The Lovin’ Spoonful (1966)
13. "Sunny Afternoon" - The Kinks (1966)
14. "Sunshine Superman" - Donovan (1966)
15. "Hot Fun in the Summertime" - Sly & the Family Stone (1969)
16. "Here Comes the Sun" - The Beatles (1969)
17. "A Summer Song" - Chad & Jeremy (1964)
18. "Pipeline" - The Chantays (1963)
19. "King of the Surf" - The Trashmen (1963)
20. "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer" - Nat King Cole (1963)

These songs capture the essence of summer and are still loved today for their timeless appeal. Do you have any songs that I may have missed to add to this collection?  I have linked all the songs to YouTube and you might want to visit Remind Magazine for more nostalgia. Enjoy

Beethoven and Mathematics

Did you know that today is National Mathematics Day in India and is to commemorate the birth anniversary of their famous mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. He had made remarkable contributions in various fields of mathematics and its branches in England and in India. 

Mathematics, the science of structure, order, and relation that has evolved from the elemental practice of counting, measuring, and describing the shapes of objects. Math deals with logical reasoning and numerical calculation, and its development has involved an increasing degree of idealization and abstraction of its subject matter. Since the 17th century, mathematics has been an indispensable adjunct to the physical sciences and technology, and in more recent times it has assumed a similar role in the quantitative aspects of the life sciences. Today to be a scientist in any area, you need to understand Mathematics.

Music is also Mathematics in a very beautiful form and in that spirit use the links to enjoy Beethoven's Symphonies No. 5 and No. 6, Choral Fantasy and Piano Concerto No. 4 (featuring the composer as soloist) premiere at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria on December 22. (Year 1808)

The Beethoven concert of 22 December 1808 was a benefit concert held for Ludwig van Beethoven at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. This concert then called an Akademie, occurred in a very cold hall and lasted for four hours. Its featured performers were an orchestra, chorus, vocal soloists, and the composer was featured as a soloist at the piano. Beethoven biographer Barry Cooper refers to the concert, in terms of its content, as the "most remarkable" of Beethoven's career.

Music at Christmas

For many at this time of year, music is an important part of the holiday season. Music is a powerful force that can improve mental health and well-being. The science is still developing on some of the most fundamental questions, such as whether listening to or performing music can help protect the brain against cognitive decline. We know that playing a musical instrument requires the use of many different cognitive skills, such as attention and memory, but we don’t know whether continually using those parts of the brain actually helps maintain those functions in later age. There is also some evidence that playing an instrument throughout life is associated with a lower risk of dementia, but we don’t know whether performing music causes the brain to be more resilient to disease. And we don’t know whether the evidence that resilience observed in the brains of musicians is only true for people playing since childhood, or whether it applies equally to musicians who begin to play late in life or for those who only listen to music.

 People who observe music’s powerful effects on mood, emotions, and movement for individuals of all ages are optimistic that it can also help improve and maintain attention, reasoning, memories, and speed of processing information. While science has fairly good evidence of music’s effect on the brain and how it works, science have not yet established that its positive impacts will result in long-term benefits to maintain the brain’s ability to maintain cognitive functions such as thinking and reasoning, or how to harness music to obtain maximum benefit.

 While most of the research evidence around the benefits of music for cognition involves active engagement in making music, listening to music has been shown to promote mental well-being. There is clear evidence that listening to music you like can help improve mood and decrease anxiety. There is some evidence on music therapy’s ability to influence cortisol levels for stress reduction. Less evidence exists for using music therapy and singing to promote the release of oxytocin, the hormone that promotes feelings of well-being. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, music therapists and psychologists often recommend listening to music as a well-accepted, affordable and non-invasive way to help people manage stress and stress-related health issues.

 But research studies on these issues show inconsistent findings on the ability of music to reduce cortisol levels or increase oxytocin or calm the sympathetic nerve system activity. We also know that meditation has similar beneficial effects on stress levels and we don’t understand what unique elements of listening to or playing music, as opposed to using mental techniques to calm thought processes, resulting in a positive impact on brain function.

Any type of musical engagement including singing, dancing, playing an instrument, composing music, and listening to music holds benefits for adults age 18 and older. A variety of different types of music engagement were associated with brain health, Adults who engage in music also report lower average levels of anxiety and depression.

Music participation is an easily accessible way to engage the brain. The benefits of music participation are not limited to those who perform in a professional capacity. Anyone can add music to their daily lives simply by listening to music during everyday activities or attending a musical performance. The research is clear, early and continued exposure to music has long-term benefits

Music has the power to enchant

 Many of us love music but like me cannot carry a tune to save their lives. As I am typing this blog, I am listening to The Hits of ABBA performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I have great admiration for those who can play and sing and who enjoy music “Music has the power to enchant even the roughest of people. This proverb comes from the play The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve and in our culture is known as “Music has the power to soothe the savage beast.” But music can do more than that. a new report from the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) concludes that music can potentially stimulate brain health, manage stress, and help treat brain health conditions as varied as dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease. Here are some takeaways from their research.

1. Music is a powerful way to stimulate your brain.

2. Music impacts different regions of the brain including those involved in hearing/listening, movement, attention, language, emotion, memory, and thinking skills.

3. Music engages multiple parts of the brain and helps them work together.

4. Music can help people recall meaningful memories and emotions.

5. Music is important to promote mental well-being.

6. Any style or type of music can be beneficial for the brain. It is important to consider a person’s musical preferences to maximize music’s potential to promote mental well-being for that person.

7. Playing music, singing, or dancing together is a good way to increase social connections with other people and reduce loneliness, which is good for brain health.

8. Music and dance are linked. Music motivates movement. Dance and other forms of physical activity are good for brain health.

9. Learning to sing a new song, learning to play an instrument, or learning to dance stimulates people’s thinking skills

10. Music allows us to change our emotional state and can often improve mood.

11. Listening to music can help you manage stress.

12. Music can have positive effects on the body and mind, including helping to regulate blood pressure and heart rate.

13. Sleep is important for brain health, and music has been shown to help improve the quality and length of sleep.

Music as Treatment for Diseases or Injuries Causing Cognitive Impairment

1. The ability to dance, sing, and listen to music or play a musical instrument can be preserved in people with dementia, even during later stages of the diseases.

2. Music for persons living with dementia can improve mood and quality of life and can reduce anxiety and depression. There is mixed evidence that music may also reduce agitation. Ongoing therapy with music the person likes is necessary to maintain the benefits.

3. Music provides a way for people with dementia to share positive experiences with others and can be a good way to connect with their caregivers.

4. There is strong evidence that a specialized music-based treatment can improve movement in patients with Parkinson’s disease and stroke, including improvements in walking and talking.

5. There is strong evidence that music helps recovery from stroke. Singing has been shown to help recover the loss of language functions in people due to stroke.

Recommendations for Individuals:

1. Incorporate music in your life. Music may improve well-being including quality of life. Listening to music provides a resource for enjoyment and entertainment, especially when shared with families and loved ones.

2. Dance, sing or move to music. These activities not only provide physical exercise, but they can also relieve stress, build social connections, and are fun ways to stimulate your brain!

3. Enjoy listening to familiar music that comforts you and evokes positive memories and associations.

4. Try listening to new music. While listening to music that you know and like tends to cause the strongest brain response and dopamine release, unfamiliar melodies may stimulate your brain, while providing a new source of pleasure as you get used to hearing them.

5. Listen to music to encourage yourself to exercise. Music can provide a mental boost and help motivate you to move your body. And it can hasten clearance of lactic acid buildup during recovery from vigorous exercise.

6. Don’t delay getting your hearing checked if you notice you are having trouble hearing. Correcting hearing loss as soon as possible is important for maintaining brain health and preserving cognitive function (as well as continuing to enjoy the music!).

7. Make music yourself! Music-making can include both singing and playing an instrument. Learning to play a musical instrument can offer a sense of mastery and self-esteem while enhancing brain activity. Singing may be the simplest way to get started.

8. Try making music with other people. Singing or playing music with and for others can generate positive feedback that enhances self-esteem and provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment. It also can create friendly new bonds with your fellow performers. The benefit of making music with others is not limited to performing music; it also can reduce feelings of isolation.

9. Try joining or forming a music-making group, such as a community choir, band, or orchestra. Making music in groups creates cohesion and a sense of belonging that can promote your mental well-being.

10. If you are unhappy, try listening to or making music to improve your mood or relieve feelings of depression.

Recommendations for Communities:

1. Support or start a community-based music-making group such as a choir. Music-making activities, such as choirs and writing songs as a group, have shown to increase mental well-being for group members.

2. Do not think music-making is limited to formal, in-person organizations. Facilitating connections with one or more people through virtual platforms and social media also can be beneficial.

Signs, signs everywhere a sign

I had someone the other day ask me what my sign was. I thought that had gone out in the sixties. Signs 

The question took me back to the '70s and the song Signs by the Five Man Electrical Band. Here are the lyrics from the song.

And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat, I said "Imagine that. Huh! Me workin' for you!"
Whoa-oh-oh
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
And the sign said anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house
"Hey! What gives you the right?"
"To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in"
"If God was here he'd tell you to your face, man, you're some kinda sinner"
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind…

My last thought on signs is that if you have to ask for "signs," then you should take it as a "sign" that you should make haste very s-l-o-w-l-y. 

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

I was nominated to list my top ten albums that influenced me when I was growing up. When I was growing up I could not afford to buy music, and albums were not what we listened to, it was 45's in the 50's and in the 60's my friends would buy albums, I did not. The first album I bought was in about 1971(Bridge Over Troubled Water). It’s a sad thing when we, as baby boomers, begin to feel like “old fogies” when it comes to music and the “hip” things going on in popular culture. But when I read what the youngsters were listing I found it interesting.  It’s easy to forget that the rock music and many other genres of modern music got their launch way back during the days when baby boomers were the young people changing society and it was our music that changed the world.

So it’s good for us to remember such things about our heritage and what we passed on to the music and entertainment culture today.  In the song “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” by Bob Seger, the singer reviews the changes baby boomers have gone through as they go from youth to middle age and deal with pressures of work, family, child rearing and changes in health due to aging.  But the end result remains the same that at the heart of every baby boomer is a rock and roller who is just as capable as ever of enjoying the music that was the foundation of their culture.

One of the things that disheartened my generation growing up was seeing the rock and roll lifestyle take its toll on many of the icons of youth culture and music including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Freddie Mercury.  But the unfortunate demise of these music heroes does not diminish the great contribution to music and to culture down through the years.  So as much as we grieve the loss of great talent, we can always celebrate what they gave to us and continue to give to us down to modern times as music continues to reference those great figures of 60s music as icons and inspirations.

But for every rock and roller who did not survive that turbulent time in our culture, we can look to great performers who did survive, overcame their addictions and went on to continue to give great music to the world decade after decade.  Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, and David Bowie are examples of wonderful and talented music heroes that demonstrated that age and a few wrinkles don’t mean a thing.  They continue to rock and roll today as hard and with as much heart as they did when they were in their twenties.

In a way “to rock and roll” is a metaphor for living life to its fullest and for staying true to your values and living life in a genuine way that never gives up on what’s important in life.  That is why we have always had the greatest contempt for anyone who sells out or abandons their core principles that they espoused in youth.  To sell out is to say that none of the great histories of the youth revolution meant anything and we are willing to turn out backs on it.  But to “rock and roll” means always going back to your roots and never giving up, even when age and busy lives and poor health say that you should slow down and not try to live with as much earnestness as you did when you were young.

Even at this dignified and “mature” stage in life, we should feel liberated to be able to go ahead and “rock and roll” in a real sense of the word.  The Bob Seger song was a hit because it gives us permission to reconnect with our roots and express that youthful enthusiasm again.  You don’t have to go to a nostalgia show to do that either.  There are dozens of great rock and roll acts that are giving to the children of baby boomers (and their grandchildren) that same excitement we got from The Beatles and The Stones.  

“Discovering” rock and roll all over again can be great fun for a baby boomer especially when you find a new act that has that power and ability to perform that reminds us of the acts of our youth.  They are out there so just get out there and uncover this great natural resource of talent in the music and culture of today’s youth revolution. This is one of the reasons I took up the challenge so that I could remind my young friends about the power of music.

Songs from the past

I had some time so I decided to look up the songs that were number one on the musical charts in 1946. So this is for all my buddies born, like me in 1946. These songs are what are parents loved, romanced and danced to in 1946. The song that  was number one the day I was born was "The Old Lamp-Lighter".

 Dates on Charts                            Artist             Song title with a link to the song

Date                                                            Artist -                                                                Title

December 30, 1945 – January 12, 1946,         Freddy Martin -                                            Symphony

January 13 – 19 1946                                     Bing Crosby and Carmen Cavallaro -             I Can't Begin to Tell You

January 20 – February 23, 1946,                    Vaughn Monroe -                    Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

February 24 – March 2, 1946,                         Betty Hutton -                                          Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

March 3 – 9 1946                                           Johnny Mercer -                                            Personality

March 10 – April 20, 1946,                              Frankie Carle -                                          Oh! What It Seemed To Be

April 21 – 27 1946                                          Sammy Kaye -                                               I'm A Big Girl Now

April 28 – May 18, 1946,                                 Perry Como -                                                 Prisoner Of Love

May 19 – July 27, 1946,                                  Ink Spots -                                                    The Gypsy

July 28 – August 3, 1946,                               Pery Como -                                                  Surrender

August 4 – 24 1946                                        Eddy Howard                                                 To Each His Own

August 25 – September 7, 1946,                    Freddy Martin -                                              To Each His Own

September 8 – 14 1946                                  Frank Sinatra -                                               Five Minutes More

September 15 – 21 1946                                Ink Spots -                                                    To Each His Own

September 22 – 28 1946                                Frank Sinatra -                                               Five Minutes More

September 29 – October 12, 1946,                 Eddy Howard -                                               To Each His Own

October 13 – December 7, 1946,                    Frankie Carle -                                                 Rumors Are Flying

December 8 – 21 1946                                   Kay Kyser -                                                     Ole Buttermilk Sky
December 22, 1946 – February 8, 1947,        Sammy Kaye -                                                 The Old Lamp-Lighter

My wife was born in 1947, the number one song the day she was born was:
September 14 – December 6 1947        Francis Craig -                                         Near You

The Actor Inside You

Baby boomers love the theater.  And with good reason.  The theater has always been an art form that teaches the love of culture and values that were important to baby boomers when they were enjoying those explosive years of youth during the 50s and 60s.  You can see the influence of the stage even in the clothing and ways of expressing themselves that the “hippies” demonstrated when they were at their zenith.

The love of the stage and culture that has become wide spread in the baby boomer culture also reflects that this has always been a very well educated generation.  The fact that such a big percentage of baby boomers either had some exposure to the arts in college themselves or from their parents has been a healthy thing for preserving this important part of society throughout the time this generation has been in charge. 

For many a baby boomer the stage has held a fascination that is more than just watching a good play and being a good patron of the arts.  Many feel that there is a performer inside them that wants to become part of theater history by getting up there and acting in a play with all the joys and terrors that such a big step would mean.  But that shyness and unwillingness to take a chance has kept many of us from getting out there and giving it a try, knowing it could lead to disaster.  While risk taking of this nature might have been easy when we were youth, it might not be so easy as adults when we, allegedly, need to preserve our pride and try not to look stupid on stage if we forget a line.

But as more and more baby boomers move toward retirement age and have the time to explore the creative side of themselves, this time of life is a perfect opportunity to get out there and take that plunge and see if you can release the actor inside to captivate a crowd with your dramatic or comedic talents. 

There are plenty of opportunities around that you can give yourself a chance to step out on stage and experience that thrill of performing a theatrical piece for a live audience.  Virtually every community in the country has one or many local theater groups who offer the chance for an amateur actor to try his or her wings in a small role of that next local production.  In addition, many churches, colleges, art museums, improv groups and culture centers use drama as part of their programs.  These are good places to try out your acting skills in short 3-5 minute skits that would take less commitment to learn and limit your time on stage so you can get your legs and learn the craft.

If you want to get involved with groups like this, it’s easy to volunteer and perhaps enjoy being part of theater without getting out on stage at first.  You can help with sets, costumes and other tasks and still have the fun of rehearsals and all that back stage drama before you actually have to step out there and face an audience.

If ever there was a part of life that cried out those words that should become our mantra as baby boomers who are sprouting new wings in our later years, the theater is that place.  And that mantra is WHY NOT?  Why not take a chance with a part of life you have always dreamed of trying out?  Retirement is a time when you say, “Hey!  No more excuses.  I am going to give it a try.” 

You have let your fears and timidity keep you from letting that actor inside you try out an actual role in an actual play for long enough.  By letting that actor inside out, you may have the most fun you could ever imagine by getting out on stage and becoming someone else for a little while.  And when you hear that sound of applause and you know that applause was for you, then that actor inside you will not only thank you for letting him loose, he will begin nagging you to get out there again and try an even bigger role next time.  And you will be hooked for life.

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

It’s a sad thing when we, as baby boomers, begin to feel like “old fogies” when it comes to music and the “hip” things going on in popular culture.  It’s also easy to forget that the rock music and many other genres of modern music got their launch way back during the days when baby boomers were the young people changing society and it was our music that changed the world.

So it’s good for baby boomers to remember such things about their heritage and what they passed on to the music and entertainment culture today.  In the song “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” by Bob Seger, the singer reviews the changes baby boomers have gone through as they go from youth to middle age and deal with pressures of work, family, child rearing and changes in health due to aging.  But the end result remains the same that at the heart of every baby boomer is a rock and roller who is just as capable as ever of enjoying the music that was the foundation of their culture.

One of the things that disheartened the baby boomer generation growing up was seeing the rock and roll life style take its toll on many of the icons of youth culture and music including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Freddie Mercury.  But the unfortunate demise of these music heroes does not diminish the great contribution to music and to culture down through the years.  So as much as we grieve the loss of great talent, we can always celebrate what they gave to us and continue to give to us down to modern times as music continues to reference those great figures of 60s music as icons and inspirations.

But for every rock and roller who did not survive that turbulent time in our culture, we can look to great performers who did survive, overcame their addictions and went on to continue to give great music to the world decade after decade.  Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie are examples of wonderful and talented music heroes that demonstrated that age and a few wrinkles don’t mean a thing.  They continue to rock and roll today as hard and with as much heart as they did when they were in their twenties.

In a way “to rock and roll” is a metaphor for living life to its fullest and for staying true to your values and living life in a genuine way that never gives up on what’s important in life.  That is why baby boomers have always had the greatest contempt for anyone who sells out or abandons their core principles that they espoused in youth.  To sell out is to say that none of the great history of the youth revolution meant anything and we are willing to turn out backs on it.  But to “rock and roll” means always going back to your roots and never giving up, even when age, and busy lives and poor health say that you should slow down and not try to live with as much earnestness as you did when you were young.

Baby boomers, even at this dignified and “mature” stage in life, should feel liberated to be able to go ahead and “rock and roll” in a real sense of the word.  The Bob Seger song was a hit because it gives us permission to reconnect with our roots and express that youthful enthusiasm again.  You don’t have to go to a nostalgia show to do that either.  There are dozens of great rock and roll acts that are giving to the children of baby boomers (and their grandchildren) that same excitement we got from The Beatles and The Stones. 

“Discovering” rock and roll all over again can be great fun for a baby boomer especially when you find a new act that has that power and ability to perform that reminds us of the acts of our youth.  They are out there so just get out there and uncover this great natural resource of talent in the music and culture of today’s youth revolution.  

Child development and music part two

Young people learn to communicate effortlessly via conversation. music, and computers, but many in our society seemingly don't consider music an integral element of language. The reduction (and even elimination) of school music instruction is an enigma, given its ancient human roots and current cultural ubiquity.

It's even possible that music predated human language, since scientists have discovered 50,000-year-old flutes made from bear bones—and a flute is an advanced musical instrument. Further, adults universally interact with infants via a musical form called motherese—a high-pitched, exaggerated, repetitive, melodic format that engages the rapt attention and mimicked response of infants who cannot understand the words. Music thus introduces infants to speech by preparing their brain to process effectively its complexities and improvisations.

Two fascinating informative new books explain the ancient roots and underlying neurobiology of music and the key role it plays in human life and communication. They are thus a valuable resource for those who seek credible evidence that music has all but ben abandoned as a tool for communication because we live in a culture that does not understand it anymore.

In The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body , Steven Mithen leads readers through the considerable evidence from archeology, anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, and musicology that supports the growing belief that musical capabilities within early humans led to language (the opposing belief being that music is basically a pleasant evolutionary by-product of human language).

Mithen is an early pre-history scholar, and his book makes demands on readers with a limited background in the several research areas it explores. Notes and references comprise almost 100 pages of the 400-page book. Still, its breadth, passion, and conversational writing make it fascinating and informative.

For example, language and music are related in that both can be vocal (as in speech and song) and gestural (as in sign language, instrumental music, and dance), and both can exist in a written format. Music and language are both a product of body/head movements that transmit information from one brain to another. Both music and language are hierarchical in that acoustic elements (words, tones) combine into phrases (utterances, melodies) that can further combine into larger entities (stories, symphonies). These and other similarities are possible because of specific related brain properties that Mithen explains and explores to support his belief in the co-evolution of our music and language capabilities.

Daniel Levitin approaches the music/language issue from a career that led him from session musician to sound engineer to record producer to neuroscientist to his current position as a professor of the psychology of electronic communication. This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession (2006) is a marvelous book for folks with a reasonable understanding of music who want to understand its underlying neurobiology—what occurs within our brain when we're listening to or making music.

Levitin rejects the widespread belief that music is something experts do, and that the rest of us should simply appreciate their musical virtuosity. He argues rather that music is an innate human property that develops as easily in children as other forms of language. Preschool children playfully explore the elements of both music and language.

Levitin thus begins his book with an intriguing informative introduction to the elements of music (rhythm, pitch, melody, harmony, tempo, timbre, harmony) that most of us should have learned in school but did not. He connects these elements to specific well-known musical works from classical to jazz to hip-hop (and to almost everything in between).

He further connects these musical elements to the appropriate brain systems and functions—demonstrating in the process that music integrates our brain's emotional, rational, and movement systems in a way that no other activity does. Music is central to the development and maintenance of our brain.

These two persuasive books left me wondering how a supposedly enlightened culture like ours could consciously neglect the development of a definitive brain property. Spoken and written language are obviously superior to music in the transmission of information, but music trumps adjectives and adverbs in the transmission of qualities and feelings. Further, we began life with the music of motherese, and we often return to music when words alone fail us. We truly need to develop both forms of language to be fully human. Do folks really believe that knowing how to harmonize or play an oboe or improvise jazz or analyze a symphony is innate? Do such folks also believe that language is only about knowing, and not about feeling?

Source: http://brainconnection.positscience.com/content/262_4

http://brainconnection.positscience.com/content/237_1

Popular songs

Popular songs may reflect the mood of society and as the mood changes so do what we like to listen to in our music.

The oldies are indeed golden when it comes to music, according to a new study of more than 1,000 Top 40 songs spanning five decades.

Researchers from Canada and Germany report pop recordings have become progressively more "sad-sounding" over time, as characterized by slower tempos and increased use of minor mode — that is, scales which evoke the same feelings one experiences when pondering orphan puppies or long-weekend gas prices.

The study found the proportion of minor mode songs has fully doubled since the mid-1960s. This increase comes at the expense of happier songs penned in major mode, which have gone from representing 85 per cent of top pop songs to just 42.5 per cent.

"Many people assume pop music is banal in its happiness. But most songs now are actually in minor key," says lead author Glenn Schellenberg, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. "Composers write in minor because it sounds smarter on some levels, and more complicated. And consumers like it for the same reason - although I don't think that's conscious."

Alongside sociologist Christian von Scheve, of the Free University of Berlin, Schellenberg analyzed 25 years of Top 40 hits - per Billboard charts - from 1965 to 1969, 1975 to 1979, 1985 to 1989, 1995 to 1999 and 2005 to 2009.

Over the years, they detected a gradual decrease in song tempo, which was most pronounced for songs written in major mode. In other words, pop music became far less likely to be unambiguously cheery.

"It's a marker of cultural sophistication. Over time, music that's unequivocally happy has come to sound trite," says Schellenberg, pointing to 1970s Swedish pop group Abba as an example.

In addition, as the lyrics of Top 40 songs became more "self-focused and negative," the music itself got sadder-sounding and was likelier to communicate mixed emotional messages - a finding that has striking parallels to the evolution of classical music.

"The Baroque and Classical eras were consistent in terms of their cues to happiness and sadness: faster pieces tended to be major and slower pieces tended to be minor," says Schellenberg, recalling the musical periods between 1600 and 1820. "But in the Romantic era (1820 to 1900) that switched, creating mixed emotional cues."

The study, published in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, concludes that even as pop music is markedly sadder than in the past, it's also becoming more nuanced and sophisticated - notwithstanding last year's radio sensation Sexy and I Know It, whose chorus consisted of the less than Shakespearean "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah."

Read more:

A follow up post to Let the Band play On

The following was posted by one of Bob's students along with the post there was a link to a story in the local paper. Thanks to Wayne for sharing.

There will be a tribute concert  for Bob LaBonte, which will take place Oct. 24 at Frank Hurt Secondary (77 Avenue and 139 Street). Doors open at 6 pm., concert starts at 7 pm.

This man will truly be missed. Bob LaBonte was my band teacher 1974-1976. He had us at West Whalley as his first full time class right out of University, poor guy!!!!! Bob was an amazing educator and always had time for his students whether during school hours or after. Todays teachers could take a lesson. My award in Grade 10 as "Most Outstanding Musician", in the Stage Band had more to do with Bobs talent as a music teacher than my musical talent. I took his class in grade 9 because there was no room left in any other electives except electricity. I had some music in the past but had never played the trumpet. I went from a beginner to playing in the Stage band by the middle of the first year. Thank you Bob. The article echos many of my sentiments. RIP Mr. LaBonte, wherever you are I hope you're Jamming!!


For the story Wayne is talking about go here:  http://www.surreyleader.com/news/174800921.html

Baby Boomer HIts

This is a post from  2008, and I thought it was funny

I found this on Shabby Pink Scrapper a site that doesn't have much to do with boomers. I know, I know, they're a little corny, but funny nonetheless. If you can think of more, send 'em along.

Baby Boomer Song Titles
It was fun being a baby boomer... until now. Some of the artists of the 60's are revising their hits with new lyrics to accommodate aging baby boomers:
Herman's Hermits --- Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Walker
Ringo Starr --- I Get By With a Little Help From Depends
The Bee Gees --- How Can You Mend a Broken Hip?
Bobby Darin --- Splish, Splash, I Was Havin' a Flash
Roberta Flack --- The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face
Johnny Nash --- I Can't See Clearly Now!
Paul Simon --- Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver
The Commodores --- Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom
Marvin Gaye --- Heard It Through the Grape Nuts
Procol Harem --- A Whiter Shade of Hair
Leo Sayer--- You Make Me Feel Like Napping
The Temptations --- Papa's Got a Kidney Stone
Abba --- Denture Queen!
Tony Orlando --- Knock 3 Times On The Ceiling If You Hear Me Fall
Helen Reddy --- I Am Woman, Hear Me Snore!
Leslie Gore --- It's My Procedure, and I'll Cry If I Want To!
And my favorite: Willie Nelson --- On the Commode Again

Music

"Music is, to me, proof of the existence of God.
It is so extraordinarily full of magic, and in tough times
of my life I can listen to music and it makes such a difference."—Kurt Vonnegut

All deep things are song.  It seems somehow the very central essence of us, song; as if all the rest were but wrap pages and hulls!  ~Thomas Carlyle

Music is an important part of who we are as Boomers. I once heard someone say that our musical tastes become frozen In time in our late teens. I wonder if that is true for most of us. I love the music of the 50's and the 60's. Each time I listen  carefully to a song, the memories come flooding back, the sites the sounds, the smells, the atmosphere of when I fist heard the music.

When my children were old enough to understand stories, and when we would be in the car driving I was had the radio on and I always took the time to tell stories about most of the songs we heard. Many I made up, just to amuse my kids but others were based on what I had heard or read about the songs.

I listened to all types of music and my son said the other day that the first recollections of music he remembers were songs we played from Broadway plays. I had forgotten that we had a collection of songs that we listened to in the evenings when not much was on TV.

Music is important and will continue to be important in my life.

Dancing in the movies

Yesterday  I talked about my love of dance, and thanks to my friend Pam, who sent me this on facebook with this comment"This is an amazing music video folks - not to be missed. Please enjoy" here is a wonderful video on the joy of dancing and how the movies make dancing come alive. I echol my friend Pam when I say "Please enjoy!"

Freezing and other thoughts well in the Dentist chair

Just returned from the dentist where I had a filling which was leaking fixed. I have not had any dental work for about two years with any freezing so I as I type, my mouth or at least the left side of my mouth, my lips and my tongue are still frozen. It is an interesting sensation as the freezing starts to wear off and the tingling sensation creep into my consciousness.  The Dentist is friendly, as is his assistant, I was in and out of there in about 20 minutes with a precaution not to eat for about an hour. I can do that, yesterday I went for blood tests and made the mistake of not going in the morning. I was required to fast for 10 hours before the appointment, but I was not able to get in until the late afternoon. The receptionist, when she calculated the time I had been fasting was surprised that I had fasted for 20 hours. I. I talked about this before, I was moving on slow down time and it gave me pause to think about the people who have no choice in when they eat. We are very lucky in Canada but we forget sometimes how lucky we are.

As I was sitting in the Dentists chair, the Dental Hygienist said, I think I was born in the wrong generation, I love my parents music--she was of course talking about my generations music. Our music touched our soul and still touches our children and our grandchildren soul. I think because the music of the boomers was trying to find out who we were and what we valued. The music did not just talk to the right or to the left, but reached us all.

When I'm 64

There will be some interest, I think in the fact that the first of the Baby Boomers turn 64 this year and the old Beatles song will be talked about by the pundits and those who want to make more about the aging of the boomers then we do. My take is that the song is not about being 64 but the song is about the sustaining of relationships. The lyrics are about how to keep love alive and the need we have to know that the relationship we are in is the correct one for us.

I had an interesting conversation the other day with three young colleagues (two men and one woman), it was after school and they were talking about how to know if a relationship was good and what they could do to maintain. I was asked my views and I suspect they thought that they thought with the wisdom of age I would have the answer. Sorry to disappoint but we as boomers value relationships, but many of us are not good at keeping them. All I could talk about is the following:

The idea is that we need to be honest to our selves about what we want and what we need, at an emotional, physical, and intellectual level. To find out what we need requires hard thought, and self investigation and is not something that is done easily. However, once you have spent the time and energy to find these things about yourself then be honest and communicate using "I language" to your partner what you need. It may be that your partner cannot give you what you need at this time in your life. If this is the case move on. This is easy to say but hard to do, however if you want to be happy then you may have to make tough decisions about the type of relationship you want.

Back to the Beatles, I saw the Beatles when they came to Vancouver in the 60's and enjoyed the show and love their music still today. Boomers may hold on to old memories but we find ways to make them come alive today. Music was an important part of my life and I will talk about this in a later post.